One of the toughest things to do is to face our fears. Our fears can be anything and everything. They can be debilitating and relentless; they can destroy us. I have found that fear predominately and profoundly affect eight areas:
1. Fear stifles our thinking.
2. Creates indecisiveness.
3. Hinders our achievement.
4. Affects self confidence.
5. Affect our emotional health and well being.
6. Affects our relationships.
7. Creates panic.
8. Causes doubt.
I find that when I evaluate my fear and focus upon God's sovereignty and His providential hand he provides a peace that passes all and any understanding. There are two verses that remind me of his true power and protection in every situation.
"The Lord has made the heaven his throne, from there he rules everything."
-Psalm 103:19
"...His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He has the power to do as he pleases among the angels of heaven and with those who live on earth. No one can stop him or challenge him, saying, 'What do you mean by doing these things'?"
-Daniel 4:34-35
In the end, either you believe those verses or you don't.
I have found that walking in faith and not in fear has been one of the best decisions I've ever made. Fear has a funny way of crippling us mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Fear has the ability to remind us of past hurts and disappointments that were caused by the very thing we fear. One guiding principle we must carry with us throughout our lives is that disappointment is inevitable; discouragement is a choice.
Fear has the ability to remind us of past hurts and disappointments that were caused by the very thing we fear. One guiding principle we must carry with us throughout our lives is that disappointment is inevitable; discouragement is a choice.
Plan and prepare for the worst; hope and prepare for the best, and maintain balance and perspective when you endure each one.
Below is what I've found walking in faith to look like:
1. Focus on God not your circumstance. The circumstance is there for a reason. It is there to teach you something. God is there to let you know what that teachable lesson is.
2. Face your fears. (Phil 4:6...look it up.)
"Do
not be afraid that some plan conceived behind closed doors will be the
end of you. Do not fear anything except the lord almighty."
-Isaiah 8:12-13
3. Recognize and identify where the doubt and fear is coming from. Once you do that know in your heart that God is greater than anything that is the reason for your doubt and fear.
4. Ask yourself if God has ever failed you once you gave your life to him? The answer is no. Not getting what we want or failure in a certain area is not confirmation that God didn't answer our prayer or that he didn't rescue us. He just decided in infinite wisdom to not give us what we wanted. He knows what is best; we don't.
5. Does God promise to meet the believers need? The answer is yes. Please read Matthew 6:25-34. Read it every day for thirty days straight and monitor how your perspective will change during those thirty days.
6. His Holy Spirit will enable me to endure anything.
7. He promised to neither leave me nor forsake me. Hebrews 13:5 states; "I will never fail you. I will never forsake you."
8. Feed upon His word.
9. Faithfully obey his commandments
10. Forge ahead. In Joshua 1:6 God spoke to Joshua, "Be strong and courageous" he commanded. We would all do well to heed that advice every day. Remember, "Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid."
Begin today to be strong and courageous and patiently wait and watch as "the" mighty force comes to your aid. Stake your claim today and overcome your fears.
sbb 27.12.10
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